Sunday Best

I took a few pictures of the kids on Sunday before we went to church. Pretty cute considering they all had ants in their pants!

And one of myself and Sam.  My double chin is hiding in this picture, so it turned out pretty good!  :)

Stewed Kebabs

Kandahar Airfield is a NATO base and there are about 10 different dining  facilities catering to the different troops here. The current breakdown on chow halls is 4 American, 4 European, 1 Asian, and 1 Afghan.  Most people just go to the dining facility closest to where they sleep or work. Luckily I am across the street from an American facility so I usually have breakfast and dinner there. Where I go for lunch isdictated by work. When we aren't flying we convoy to the nearest American facility. When I am flying things get interesting because of where we are going and what time we take off and land. Our hangar is immediately next to the Afghan compound and so their chow hall is the closest thing if we have limited time. The first time I went they asked if I wanted to eat some kebabs. I didn't know this but kebabs just means chunks of meat and the preparation can include boiled, fried, orstewed. I have eaten with the Afghans about half a dozen times now and the meal is always the same - soup, flat bread, rice, and stewed potatoes and beef. The only thing that changes is the fruits and vegetables depending on what is in season. The good news is you know what to expect and their fruits and vegetables are always the best onbase.

Rumor has it Shish Kebabs were not invented until the Persians introduced the Afghans to the tips of their swords. I am told the Afghans do have Shish Kebabs for special occasions like the elusive dinner the Afghan General is setting up for all the new Air Advisors.

Pantless Screamer??

HA HA HA!!!  Good post title, don't you think?  I can't claim it as my own cleverness.  It came from my cousin Pam and the comment that she made on my last post:

"For Sale" sign in my lawn!! I don't handle mice AT ALL!!! Growing up on a farm you would think I could handle them better then I do. ONe time I was sitting on the toilet and one came running under the door and down the the heat vent! Needless there was a pantless dancer screaming on the bathroom vanity!!"

Too funny Pam!  That story immediately made me think of family reunions at Catherine's Creek.  Good memories!  Do you (cousins) remember all the mice, rats and bats at that place? I can remember sitting with Rosie and some other people and watching a large mouse run across the tables.   And do you remember Grandpa S. telling about his early morning visitor?  He got up early to use the bathroom and was on the toilet when a large rat came crawling out of a hole in the wall and that it would have been a dead rat if he had been able to get to it.  Oh the funny things that happened there!!

Squirmy Mess

Be forewarned...this is kind of a gross story.

Sooooo.....as many of you know we are doing a bit of remodeling on the house I will be living while Micah is deployed.  A few weeks ago I noticed a mouse run behind some cupboards while I was cleaning.  Nothing a box of Decon couldn't take care of, right?  I kind of wondered if I would kill that mouse.   And Oh I did!

Yesterday I went over to the house and down in the basement was the most wretched smell.  We had a pipe in the bathroom leak so there was some residual water left on the floor (the basement is gutted so it is just concrete).  I thought maybe the water smelled bad.  I couldn't figure it out.  I even texted Matthew (my brother) and said, "It smells like there is something dead down here."  I was hoping he would offer to come and check it out for me.  He didn't.  Too busy schmoozing his girlfriend.  But that is okay.  We want him to marry her!

So anyway, today I go back down to the basement to start some laundry.  Same wretched smell again!  Only this time it was a bit stronger.  I opened up the windows checked to see if the water was still leaking.  It wasn't but there was still some damp places.  I figure things are fine, maybe some dirty laundry got wet and is smelling.  There were a few things left behind in the house that I have been trying to get washed and bagged up so they could have been the culprit.

Later in the day I head downstairs to switch laundry again.  This time I notice the water leaking.  I leaned over to give the pipes a once over and voila! I found my leak.  It was in an unexpected spot.  Then I notice something writhing and wriggling out of the corner of my eye.  I reached down and slowly lifted a piece of wet fabric.  Underneath was a dead, decomposing, maggot covered mouse.  Talk about foul.  I about puked....and I hate to puke.  It was seriously foul.  A mouth breathing, hold your breath moment.  I'm even holding my breath as I type.  Agghh.  It was gross. 

I called Matthew and my Dad.  I figured if I was really smart I would get one of them to clean it up.  Eventually Matthew worked up some courage, put his gloves on, and quickly scooped up the dead mouse and threw it and the rotten fabric in the trash.  Then we poured bleach on the area.  I am hoping that things will smell better tomorrow and that Matthew remembered to take the trash can up and outside.  Crap...I sure hope he was smart enough to think of that!  I didn't even think of it till now.  Had to put the whole experience out of my head for awhile.  I thought I would spare everyone a picture of that little treat!!

Afghan Lions

This picture reminded me of one I saw with a pride of lions camped outunder a parked airplane.

 Today we went into a Forward Operating Base (FOB) where shade was at apremium. The aircraft's outside air temp gauge read 43'C - close to110'F. We had to wait (as usual) and it sent everyone scurrying forcover. Although the Afghan's sense of hygiene isn't up to what most ofus would expect, they don't bite and it wasn't too difficult to get themout when we were ready to go.